United Kingdom · Holiday calendar

UK bank holidays 2026: dates by nation and year-end checks

Check the complete 2026 bank holiday calendar for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, plus Christmas substitute-day planning.

Direct answer

Which bank holidays remain in 2026 for my UK nation?

As checked on 24 September 2026, England and Wales and Northern Ireland have Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and the Boxing Day substitute on Monday 28 December still to come. Scotland also has St Andrew’s Day on Monday 30 November. Choose the nation before counting working days. A bank holiday date does not by itself guarantee paid time off or tell you an employer’s payroll cut-off.

Source checked 2026-09-24: GOV.UK: official bank holidays by UK nation.

Year-end planning without counting a substitute day twice

Date or rule	Planning check
Monday 30 November	St Andrew’s Day applies to Scotland in this calendar.
Friday 25 December	Christmas Day in all three national calendars.
Saturday 26 December	Already a weekend in a Monday-to-Friday schedule.
Monday 28 December	Boxing Day substitute: exclude this weekday where the holiday applies.

Original counting example: 21–31 December inclusive contains nine Monday-to-Friday weekdays. Excluding 25 and 28 December leaves seven for a schedule observing these holidays. Do not subtract Saturday 26 December again: it was never in the nine weekdays. This is a calendar exercise, not a promise about bank processing, delivery, paid leave or a particular deadline. Agree any office closure on 24 or 31 December separately.

Checklist controls

Select England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland for the actual task.
Write the start/end dates and whether each boundary is included.
Apply the real weekly schedule, then remove applicable holiday dates once.
Confirm employer or service cut-offs separately and save the agreed calendar.

Complete 2026 calendar

England and Wales

Thu 01 Jan — New Year’s Day
Fri 03 Apr — Good Friday
Mon 06 Apr — Easter Monday
Mon 04 May — Early May bank holiday
Mon 25 May — Spring bank holiday
Mon 31 Aug — Summer bank holiday
Fri 25 Dec — Christmas Day
Mon 28 Dec — Boxing Day (substitute day)

Scotland

Thu 01 Jan — New Year’s Day
Fri 02 Jan — 2nd January
Fri 03 Apr — Good Friday
Mon 04 May — Early May bank holiday
Mon 25 May — Spring bank holiday
Mon 15 Jun — World Cup bank holiday
Mon 03 Aug — Summer bank holiday
Mon 30 Nov — St Andrew’s Day
Fri 25 Dec — Christmas Day
Mon 28 Dec — Boxing Day (substitute day)

Northern Ireland

Thu 01 Jan — New Year’s Day
Tue 17 Mar — St Patrick’s Day
Fri 03 Apr — Good Friday
Mon 06 Apr — Easter Monday
Mon 04 May — Early May bank holiday
Mon 25 May — Spring bank holiday
Mon 13 Jul — Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) (substitute day)
Mon 31 Aug — Summer bank holiday
Fri 25 Dec — Christmas Day
Mon 28 Dec — Boxing Day (substitute day)

Frequently asked questions

Does the Scottish calendar include the World Cup bank holiday?

Yes. GOV.UK lists Monday 15 June 2026 for Scotland. It belongs in a full-year Scottish calculation even though it has already passed. Do not add it to the England and Wales or Northern Ireland calendars.

Independent calendar guide. Official dates were checked on 24 September 2026; later proclamations or local arrangements may affect planning. The complete annual lists below retain past dates for audits. Employer leave rules, local holidays and service opening hours need separate confirmation.

Calculate a date range for your nation · Compare monthly and part-time counts